Fetal development in week 33

For all the weight and bulk you’re lugging around these days, you’d think your little champ would weigh more than a mere 4 pounds!

But once you add in the placenta, amniotic fluid, and extra blood, you've got at least 10 pounds of baby and their life-support gear smooshed up against your organs!

In terms of appearance, your sweet lil' looker is getting cuter and pudgier every day as they pile on that adorable baby fat.

And as you know all too well, your womb kick-boxer is getting stronger with every passing day. Heck, it’s even possible to observe a well-placed belly-wobbling kick just by watching your belly!

Here's a fun game for when your kick-boxer is especially active: place a small object (baby blocks or a remote control) on your belly and see how far your star-kicker can lob that thing across the room!

Despite their obviously increasing strength, your bigger-by-the-day baby will actually start dropping their rate of movement in the last few weeks, no thanks to their restricted womb space.

If movement ceases for over an hour, drink some cold juice, lay on your side and wait for some added movement.

If nothing's happening at that point, go ahead and call your medical caregiver.

Hey, did you know you’ll continue feeling your baby's movements even during labor?

And how's mom doing?

Have you been feeling those delightful fake Braxton-Hicks contractions yet?Remember to eat less with each meal and opt for smaller more frequent meals, loads of water, and a post-meal walk to get things unclogged and less heartburn-tastic

If not - shut up!

These increasing uterine contractions are standard during the second half of pregnancy and lucky for you, grow in frequency during the third trimester.

Cleverly dubbed “practice labor”, BH contractions aren't the real deal, but if they're getting too frequent or intense, get a big glass of ice water, drink it and chill on the couch for a while.

That said, if you notice contractions more than four times in one hour - that don't go away in the next hour, especially when combined with changes in your vaginal discharge (EW), call your caregiver right away to make sure you're not going into premature labor.

As your magical growing baby obstinately refuses to shrink or give back any real-estate in your belly, you can sit back, "relax," and take in the heartburn and increased lower back pain.

Remember to eat less with each meal and opt for smaller more frequent meals, loads of water, and a post-meal walk to get things unclogged and less heartburn-tastic.

As for your poor back, stretch your spine out, get off your feet and elevate them above your heart - preferably in a hot-bathtub with bubbles, candle light and soft relaxing music, and don't worry too much about anything for exactly thirty minutes... if that's even possible.

Did You Know?

Despite the common practice of coaching the mother to push during birth, it is actually better to allow your uterus contractions to naturally push the baby down through the birth canal until you feel the spontaneous urge to bear down and push. Forced pushing increases the risk of meconium staining the amniotic fluid, which can lead to potential fetal distress—when the baby has a bowel movement in the amniotic fluid.